On April 15, the Kingdom of Jordan arrested sixteen members of what is believed to be a Muslim Brotherhood-linked terrorist cell that was involved in assembling rockets and threats to the country. "The plot aimed at harming national security, sowing chaos and causing material destruction inside the kingdom," a Jordanian government statement said.
The terror plot is a serious development in the Kingdom. Jordan is usually seen as stable, but in recent years, there have been Iranian-backed plots against Amman. Groups that back Hamas also want to destabilize the Kingdom.
The fact that the terror cell sought to assemble rockets and drones is a major development as well. This shows that it is more than just smuggling weapons or explosives. This illustrates thought and know-how.
The Palestinian Authority put out a statement backing Amman. Iraq and the Arab League have also put out statements backing Jordan. Other countries in the region are watching closely. The UAE, which has banned the Muslim Brotherhood, is keenly focused on the stability of Jordan. Articles at Al-Ain media in the UAE have spotlighted the plot and what it means.
The Muslim Brotherhood has been active in Jordan for many years in various forms. Hamas has roots in the Brotherhood. In addition, the ruling party of Turkey has roots in the same ideology.
In September 2024, Jordan banned the Muslim Brotherhood political party in Jordan, called the Islamic Action Front, from using Hamas-style symbols in election campaigning, according to the Middle East Media Research Institute. In 2020, Jordan dissolved the Brotherhood in Jordan, illustrating the continuing challenge the ideology poses to the Kingdom.
One article from Al-Ain says that “Jordanian security forces have dealt a fresh blow to the Muslim Brotherhood, thwarting its latest plot to destabilize the country.” The article notes that “dark money” is involved in backing the Brotherhood in Jordan. The article says that the plot is an “indicator of renewed intentions by forces seeking to exploit critical regional moments to reimpose their political project through chaos and incitement.” Al-Ain media consulted numerous experts for its report. What follows are some key points from the reporting.
One member of Jordan’s parliament said to Al-Ain that the Brotherhood “seeks to destabilize the security of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan.” He said the Kingdom will strike down this threat with an iron fist. "These outlaws have other agendas, connections, and external agendas. Perhaps the Iranian regime is one of those supporting them, aiming to incite chaos and dismantle the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan,” the parliamentarian said.
An academic was also quoted as saying the thwarting of the attack “raises several dangerous indicators worthy of careful consideration, including the party involved, its objectives, and the timing of its execution.” He also said the goal was to spread chaos and destabilization. This talking point appears to be the message that Jordan is putting out. Message discipline regarding this point is clear in statements condemning the threat.
What the Al-Ain article notes is that the plot was aimed at “striking at the security of the Jordanian state from within.” This concerns commentators because Jordan has rarely been targeted by terrorism recently. This wasn’t always the case. The Palestinian armed groups started a civil war in Jordan in the 1970s. In addition, Al Qaeda and ISIS targeted the Kingdom. Iranian-backed drug smugglers also targeted Jordan from Syria over the last several years.
One source told Al Ain that “the actual actions demonstrate an intention to ignite the Jordanian arena and transform it into a platform for chaos, whether through political incitement or dormant organizations operating in the shadows. He [the source] stressed that targeting Jordan at this sensitive time confirms that the real threat comes not only from abroad, but also from internal actors who are hiding behind grandiose slogans to conceal a private project that conflicts with the country's security and stability.”
The report also says the threat comes at a critical time. This takes place as the new Syrian government is making inroads in the region. Hamas is also weakened in Gaza. Iran’s axis is also weakened and is in talks with the US. The Brotherhood in Jordan is considered a “chaotic element” in this context. This downplays the seriousness of the plot and also may attempt to make this an open-and-shut case without looking closely at how the plotters got this far in making weapons.
A source told Al-Ain “there are those who are betting on the Jordanian domestic front being shaken, believing that a moment of confusion is the right moment to strike at the state, whether by casting doubt on institutions or attempting to undermine confidence in the leadership.”
The source went on to note that "what happened yesterday confirms that Jordan's security is not an easy matter, that attempts to penetrate it have failed, and that there are groups—such as the Muslim Brotherhood—that have not abandoned their anti-national ambitions. Confronting this threat requires, first and foremost, popular awareness and state support.” Clearly, this means Jordan will now crack down on Brotherhood-linked associations. Egypt did this after 2013 as well, when the current Egyptian leader overthrew Mohammed Morsi.
Another source told Al-Ain that “the confessions of those involved in the plot to their affiliation with the Muslim Brotherhood confirm that the group seeks to jeopardize the country's security and safety. They have prepared missiles, concealed another ready missile, manufactured dangerous weapons and explosives, recruited, and manufactured drones.” This source said the plot was funded from abroad and the perpetrators even received training in Lebanon.
This may explain recent reports at Al-Hadath saying Lebanon had detained several Hamas members. Were the Jordanian operatives linked to Hamas in Lebanon or to Iranian elements and Hezbollah, or both? Iran backs Hamas, and Hezbollah and Hamas closely coordinate.
A source said that “this is something the Jordanian state will not accept, and it will take decisive steps in the coming days to rein in anyone who misinterprets the state's rationality." Furthermore, the report at Al-Ain noted that Jordan’s tolerance for different political parties should not be seen as “weakness.” Now, it is believed that Jordan will shift its previous tolerance toward the Brotherhood.
This may be an attempt by Jordan to derail any thoughts that some might have in terms of protesting in the Kingdom. Jordan has seen protests against Israel and backing Hamas. Some in Jordan may be inspired by the victory of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham in Syria. Recently, Syria moved to reduce the influence of a local warlord named Ahmed al-Awda, who operated a unit in southern Syria near the Jordanian border. Although HTS and Awda are not linked to the Brotherhood, it’s possible the Kingdom is on edge about developments in Syria, or in the West Bank and Gaza.
An Egyptian journalist and expert on political Islam movements told Al-Ain that the Jordanian government's actions contribute to preserving the security, stability, and prestige of the state and prevent it from being infiltrated by regional, non-Arab sectarian forces operating within the country via the Muslim Brotherhood branch. This analyst says Jordan has an important geographic location in the region and is important in terms of the “Arab order” of countries.
"There is a desire to dismantle certain countries in order to divide another Arab country and occupy it with foreign-backed militias, so that its decisions, will, and resources can be controlled,” the Egyptian said. This likely refers to militias in Iraq backed by Iran. Analysts also told Al-Ain that “Jordan's Muslim Brotherhood is losing its last political card.”
This second report refers to the Brotherhood plot as the “Chaos Cell.” Jordan has launched “a preemptive strike against an organization that has decided to wage its battle outside the parliament, within secret manufacturing rooms, training platforms, and across cross-border funding channels.” Clearly, this sets the stage for a wider crackdown. This report said the plot represents a rift within the Brotherhood. “One of these movements is trying to adhere to the Jordanian national identity, while another has chosen to align itself with the Hamas-Hezbollah-Iran axis, whereby the possession of weapons and mobilization projects become strategic rather than tactical tools, according to the same expert.”
The report goes on to note that an analyst says that the Brotherhood in Jordan has moved from being close to Hamas, to being close to Hezbollah. This would indicate increased alignment with the Iranian axis. It could explain fears that Iranian-backed militias in Iraq are involved. Kataib Hezbollah in Iraq killed three Americans in eastern Jordan using a drone in January 2024.
"According to what the General Intelligence Department announced, the case is now in the hands of the judiciary and will take its course," a source told Al-Ain. This source believes that the Brotherhood group's party will face dissolution under the constitution and the law. This would be similar to what Egypt did. Is it possible that the detention of this cell will harm the Brotherhood’s image in Jordan, the article asks. "What happened yesterday is a nail clipping for the Muslim Brotherhood in Jordan."
The report goes on to note that the Brotherhood “infiltrated Jordan under the guise of charitable work, then spread its poison under its political wing, infiltrating the state's institutions and occupying its parliament.
